Allentown School Board Advances Plans To Seat Students

Allentown School Board's Policy Committee yesterday started laying the groundwork for a proposal to give students non-voting representation on the board.

But committee members and Dr. Willard S. Clewell Jr., board president, took a dim view of another recommendation by Director Ronald W. Skinner that similar status be granted a representative of the district's teachers.

The committee, chaired by Director James B. Hirsh, hopes to complete all ground rules governing the addition of student representatives to the board at its March meeting and present the package to the entire board for action.

Before the committee comes up with its recommendation, Hirsh said, he and Clewell "want to get student input because we feel the students can make positive contributions." They are planning a meeting with students on Monday.

The committee agreed yesterday to consider two student representatives, one from Allen and one from Dieruff high schools, thus rejecting original suggestions that each high school elect a representative in alternate years, with the order to be initially determined by a coin toss.

"I support two representatives. There always has been a rivalry between the two high schools, and the issues and concerns of one may be different from those at the other high school," she said. "Two extra bodies won't be unmanageable."

Clewell and Director Michael P. Combs said they would have no problem with either approach.

"There should be equal opportunity for students at both schools," said Superintendent William Stoutenburgh.

The committee also agreed that the student representatives should not be limited to representation on the education committee but, like school directors, should be able to attend any board committee meeting.

While the student representatives would be permitted to participate in discussion and board meetings, including all committee meetings, they would be excluded from sessions dealing with litigation, personnel or negotiations and any closed or executive sessions.

Committee members said they would probably recommend that a student representative maintain no less than a "C" average and that the representative be replaced if he or she misses a certain number of board meetings.

The panel did not decide whether student representatives should be juniors or seniors because it wants to hear more about that from students.

Some on the committee were concerned that the method of electing a student representative could turn into a popularity contest.

Hirsh said the Lancaster School District has students complete essays about being a board representative and submit petitions signed by students. The essays are evaluated and the candidates are interviewed before they run for election by the student body.

"Procedures like that should eliminate the possibility of a popularity contest," said Hirsh.

Turning to Skinner's proposal for a teacher representative, Combs said, "Our meetings are open, so nothing prevents teachers from coming and expressing their positions."

"I cannot support this," said Creveling. "This was brought up before, and I did not support it then."

She said teachers have "a vehicle to influence" the board through their bargaining unit, the Allentown Education Association. She said, "(Teachers) have more input than the board does. I think we would be opening a can of worms that we will have great difficulty with in the future.

"If we put teachers on the board, why not parents? Because they really are left out."

Clewell agreed.

Hirsh indicated he would give Skinner the option of pursuing teacher representation on the board at the next meeting.

In other matters, the committee agreed to recommend board adoption of a change in regular meeting times from 8 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and that the change be initiated on a two-month trial basis.

Should there be no adverse reaction from the public after the trial period, the change would become policy.

The earlier starting time was recommended because the board no longer holds committee-of-the-whole meetings prior to the start of regular meetings.

Committee members said the earlier start also was being proposed "in consideration of the public who attend board meetings."

The committee also agreed to recommend a change of meeting procedure by placing various items not subject to debate or discussion on a consent agenda. All items on that agenda would be presented and voted on in a single roll-call vote. However, provision would be made for any board member to request that a consent agenda item be removed for discussion or debate.

Said Hirsh, "I feel the board needs to concentrate its time on educational issues." A consent agenda, he said, would shorten the meeting and allow more time for discussion of issues.

In a final matter, Clewell agreed to issue a memorandum of understanding to all board members that material mailed or hand-carried to members be limited to once a week, except in instances of priority mail and then only with the approval of the board president.